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Dustin Johnson is a new father and prepared to uncover because he’s No. 1

ERIN, Wis. — River Jones Johnson and his mom are home, healthy and comfortable, that has liberated dad’s mind to get behind to work. For Dustin Johnson, that means perplexing to urge his U.S. Open championship and retrieve his station as a many widespread actor in golf.

“I don’t have to worry about them,” Johnson pronounced Wednesday. “That’s a large relief. Now I’ve got to play golf. That’s because I’m here. I’m here to play golf. I’m here to compete. That is what my pursuit is this week.”

River Jones Johnson was innate Monday night, the second child of Johnson and Paulina Gretzky. Once father was confident his family was OK, Johnson trafficked to Erin Hills, nearing late Tuesday. He used and played 9 holes on Wednesday, though doesn’t feel behind in his preparation. After blank a cut during a Memorial final month, he trafficked to Erin Hills and spent dual days mapping out a course.

“I like a golf course,” he said. “I consider it sets adult good for me.”

That competence be an understatement. The 50-yard-wide fairways should concede Johnson to take advantage of his many profitable asset, his length off a tee. Johnson claimed his initial vital during Oakmont final year with one of a best displays of pushing a golf round seen in utterly some time during a major. He’ll try to transcribe a opening during Erin Hills.

“You have to strike a fairways here,” he said, “and they do give us a small bit of room here, that is nice.

“But it’s going to be a prolonged week,” he added. “Every partial of a diversion has to work good if I’m going to have a chance.”

When final seen during a vital championship, Johnson was revelation us he had harmed his behind slipping down some stairs and couldn’t play in a Masters. A complicated favorite going into a year’s initial vital championship, Johnson’s overwhelming withdrawal put on reason his impetus to apropos a many widespread actor in golf.

Johnson had won 3 true outings progressing in a year to constraint a No. 1 ranking in a world, though hasn’t been as pointy given returning from his behind injury. He tied for second during Wells Fargo, was tied for 12th during a Players and tied for 13th during a Bryon Nelson. But he missed a cut during a Memorial and is still acid for his pre-Masters form.

“Leading into a Masters we was personification a best golf I’ve ever played,” he said. “And it has taken me awhile to get behind to where we was then. I’ve still got some work to do to get behind to when we was personification that good.”

The U.S. Open hasn’t had a repeat leader given Curtis Strange in 1988 and 1989. But if not for a three-putt for spook on a 72nd hole during Chambers Bay, that authorised Jordan Spieth to win in 2015, Johnson could be going for a three-peat. No doubt, a other 155 golfers in a margin will be examination Johnson on Thursday to see how he starts. With a impetus malleable by rain, it could be developed for scoring.

Johnson was a latest actor perplexing to be a aristocrat of golf given a rain of Tiger Woods. Rory McIlroy was it for a time, afterwards Spieth, afterwards Jason Day and now Johnson. He doesn’t seem to feel a vigour of being No. 1 that Day mostly talked about. To Johnson, it’s validation.

“It gives me tenure in a fact that what I’m doing is working,” he said. “It drives me to work tough on a things that I’m doing.”

Phil Mickelson expected will skip a contest attending his daughter’s graduation. There were concerns Johnson competence be a no-show if his son wasn’t born.

“Everything worked out and I’m here playing,” Johnson said.

Asked if his participation should dominate a rest of a field, Johnson said: “I wish so. Shouldn’t it?”